I'm not a librarian

I will say this until I'm blue in the face.
I'm not a librarian. I don't claim to be a librarian. I've never claimed to be a librarian. I don't play one on TV. Even if I were on TV, I wouldn't play a librarian. I don't have my MLS. I have no intention of getting one. I already have a Master's degree, and don't have the desire to get another one.

I'm not a librarian. But that doesn't mean I'm not qualified for the job I have or that I don't deserve to work with librarians.

Don't get me wrong. I have the utmost respect for librarians, all kinds of them, whether they work at the largest library in the world, or in a town of 100 people. I think they are fabulous whether they have their MLS or not. They are intelligent, creative, smart, energetic, caring people who don't get paid nearly enough for what they do or the crazy patrons they sometimes encounter.

I enjoy working with them, providing services for them and making their jobs easier. That is MY job. I'm a library consultant. I'm not a librarian.

I don't encounter patrons. I don't shelve books. I don't do story times. I wouldn't mind doing those things, but that is not my job. I work behind the scenes, which is not the same thing as working in a library.

I revisited my "responsibilities" and "education requirements" that were listed when my position was posted, just to clarify. In the 2+ years I've been here, I have not only met the requirements, but I've exceeded them. I've done everything my employer has asked, and then some. I have brought enthusiasm, creativeness and ideas that are outside of the box.

My responsibilities have grown. I'm doing more than when I started, and that's a testament to my employer's faith in me and in my skills. I have the right skills for this job. I can honestly say I love what I do, and it doesn't feel like a job. I'm not perfect, and I'm always looking to improve, but I'm also proud of what I've accomplished.

I don't know everything about libraries, and I probably never will. I learn new things every day, and I'm grateful for that. I still don't know all the crazy acronyms or the ins and outs of the Dewey Decimal System (or if that should even be capitalized?).

And that's ok, because I'm not a librarian.